SOCCER: Gyasi Zardes uses his head to lift Galaxy

CARSON - Chivas USA has had only about two weeks to work with its new coach, had lost a couple of players, had a mid-week game interrupting its preparation and was facing the defending MLS Cup champion Sunday at StubHub Center.

And nearly pulled off a victory.

"It was very emotional," new Chivas coach Jose Luis Real said. "Imagine facing Bruce Arena plus the Galaxy in a stadium like this. For everyone this is a motivating opportunity.

"We are not satisfied with the result but I'm pretty sure we're going to be getting better. This is going to be my first week coming that is actually a normal working week."

It was a breakout night, though, for the Galaxy's Gyasi Zardes, who scored the goal in a 1-0 victory that added to the dominance of his team in the rivalry and added misery to Chivas' season.

Zardes' second goal wasn't his only chance. He had eight shots by himself to only six for Chivas.

"He has a way to go, but he's an athletic kid, a pretty good understanding of the game," Arena said. "He had a bunch of opportunities tonight. He could have done a little bit better in front of the goal, but having said that it was a great goal he scored with his header.

"He's going to get better. He can play a few different positions."

The Galaxy (7-6-3) moved into fourth place in the Western Conference standings and are within six points of first-place Real Salt Lake and Portland.

Chivas (3-10-2) is winless in its last 10 games (0-8-2) and has lost seven in a row, but on the bright side it was the first time in eight games the Goats had not given up multiple goals.

"In the first half we were waiting and waiting and in the second half we actually had a team that was able to give us results," Real said. "And that's the team we've been working for and what we want to see for 90 minutes."

Chivas had a couple of chances, including a whistling shot from Jorge Villafana in the 70 th minute that sailed just wide of the net, but lost to the Galaxy for the 10 th time in the last 16 games, with only one victory in that span.

In the 20 th minute, Chivas midfielder Tristan Bowen lobbed a high header into the penalty area. Jose Manuel Rivera volleyed a blast but it was right at Galaxy goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, who made a two-handed save.

Ten minutes after the Galaxy had a goal wiped out by an offside call Zardes, paired at forward with Robbie Keane, officially broke the ice by finishing a free kick from Landon Donovan in the 44 th minute.

Starting from about 35 yards out, Donovan spun his kick into the penalty area and Zardes headed it in just inside the goal post. It was his second goal of the season and first since May 11, when he scored his first MLS goal against Vancouver.

It was assist No. 112 for Donovan in his MLS career, tying him with former Chivas coach Preki for third on the all-time list. It also was his fourth of the season.

The Galaxy had been denied the lead earlier after Donovan, speeding in from the side, cut his crossing pass left to an open Robbie Rogers, who knocked it into the lower corner of the net. But Keane, running ahead of the play, was judged offside.

Zardes came close early in the second half when Keane sent a ball into the penalty area and Omar Gonzalez headed it. Running toward the goal post, Zardes got his head on the ball but he bounded off the post and wide of the net.

It was the second time in the game Zardes hit the post. He knocked one off the post in the 36 th minute that Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy just got his fingers on. Kennedy also thwarted a Zardes shot in the 74 th minute.

The Galaxy's success with Zardes at forward and Donovan making plays behind him and Keane could be a common sight despite the Galaxy's prolific pairing of Keane and Donovan up front.

Only four players were in Chivas' starting lineup from the team that started against the Galaxy on March 17.

One of them was midfielder Oswaldo Minda, who had to leave the first game after 18 minutes because of an injury. Minda again had to leave early, this time with a left adductor strain after 41 minutes.